Biodegradable fibers exhibiting storage-stable tenacity

摘要

The invention provides a drawn and/or crimped fiber comprising a biodegradable polymer, such as polylactic acid, wherein the drawn and/or crimped fiber exhibits a storage-stable tenacity that does not decrease from an initial tenacity upon manufacture by more than about 10% after storage for 120 days in ambient conditions. The polymer composition used to form the fiber may comprise a softening agent. The fiber can be a drawn and crimped bicomponent fiber that is helically self-crimped and which comprises a first biodegradable polymer component and a second biodegradable polymer component, wherein the first polymer component and the second polymer component exhibit different polymer morphology such that each polymer component will undergo a different extent of longitudinal shrinkage upon application of heat. The outer surface of the fiber may carry a water-repellant coating. The invention also provides a method of forming a drawn and/or crimped fiber exhibiting storage-stable tenacity.